The Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) is accepting applications for its 2005 Roads Scholar grants. The Roads Scholar grants are designed to assist top American post-collegiate runners who, while struggling financially, show great promise to develop into accomplished national world-class athletes.

Since its inception nearly a decade ago, the Roads Scholar program has distributed almost $200,000 to emerging American distance runners. The driving factor in the creation of this program was the goal of improving the state of long distance running in the United States. A sign of its success were the results of the 2004 Summer Olympics where Deena Kastor, a 1997 Roads Scholar grant recipient, captured the bronze medal in the woman’s Olympic marathon. Since then, Kastor has agreed to serve on the Roads Scholar selection committee. Kastor stated, “I am very flattered by your invitation to be a part of the selection committee. I look forward to being a part of what helped my career so profoundly.”

The Roads Scholar program is directed towards runners who are United States citizens, have graduated from college or whose college class has graduated, plan to race in top open road events (not just track, cross country or US-only events), and expect to earn less than $30,000 from all sources during the calendar year. A minimum of five $5,000 grants will be awarded this year. In addition to individual donors, the program has received generous financial support from Credit Union Cherry Blossom, Lilac Bloomsday Association, Team FootWorks, Huntsville Track Club, the Cotton Row Run, Knoxville Track Club, Houston Masters Sports Association and the Atlanta Track Club.

The Road Runners Club of America, which recently merged with the American Association of Running Clubs, is a non-profit organization of more than 670 running clubs and 160,000 members across the United States. The RRCA member chapters organize races and training runs, provide safety guidelines, promote children’s and masters’ fitness running programs and offer social activities.